Backpacking Europe

Traveling Safely When Backpacking Europe

When backpacking Europe, it pays to think about how safe you are going to be on your trip. After all, you don’t want the best experience of your life to turn into a nightmare. There are a few things you should think about before you leave:

• Make sure you hav had all the required inoculations for the country you are travelling to and visit your doctor before you go to make sure you have enough of any medication you take.

• Make sure you are covered by health and travel insurance. If the worst happens and you are not covered, your treatment bill could run into thousands of dollars. Good insurance will also protect you in case of loss of belongings.

• Check out the customs of the country you are visiting. You don’t want to offend anyone by baring your legs or shoulders in a country that has a different dress code. Although this is not a problem in Western Europe you could run into some trouble in the Eastern European countries.

• Keep a second wallet on you with a small amount of the local currency. If you are unlucky enough to be mugged, you can hand over this wallet, keeping the majority of your money and cards safe.

• Don’t wear expensive jewellery or watches and keep your pricey camera in a bag.

• Spend time and make friends with other travellers, as the old saying goes, there is safety in numbers.

Backpacking Europe - Amsterdam

One place you will want to see when backpacking Europe is Amsterdam. Wow, what a city this is!

A lot is made of Amsterdam’s Red Light District and Coffee Shops but there is so much more to one of Europe’s best capital cities. The canals, restaurants and museums are second to none.

For the backpacker, I would suggest you make use of the “I amsterdam Card”. Developed by the tourist board, this amazing card gives you free admission to all of the city’s museums plus free travel on the buses, trams and subway system and discount on wines at various eateries. You also get a free canal cruise - great for a romantic moment with your partner!

Below is a list of some of the great locations you need to go and visit:

• The Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings in the world
  
• The Rembrandt House Museum is where the great painter, Rembrandt, lived from 1939 to 1958. It is full of his etchings and other pieces of art.
• The Anne Frank House is a museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist, Anne Frank. This museum tells the story of Frank who hid from Nazi’s in hidden rooms at the back of the house during the 2nd World War.
• The Red Light District (no link for obvious reasons!) - in the center of Amsterdam where window prostitution is legal.

Cheaper Travel for backpacking in Europe

One of the biggest perceived expenses when you have decided on backpacking Europe will be your initial air fare & subsequent short haul flights between countries. Here are a few things you should consider before you travel:

When traveling between European countries, look at alternative means of transport other than flying. European countries generally have far superior train services and while this type of transport takes a little longer, the landscape and scenery can be breathtaking - an amazing way to see Europe.

It is always better to get a daily or weekly pass for public transport in almost every European city. This will allow you to hop on and off trains, buses, coaches and even trams while you discover the city. You will save so much money on individual tickets to and from sites to visit.

Why not hire a bike? This would be cheaper than public transport and lets you go where you want to! Lots of European cities are pedestrian friendly - a lot safer without high speed traffic!

And the big one! Don’t go to your travel agent to book your flights to Europe. Unless they happen to be your best friend, they will never be able to give you the best possible price. You must, at the very least, compare flight packages with a comparison site. There are also hints and tips that could save you thousands of dollars on cheaper air fares. For further information, click here.

Backpacking Europe? Get a guide book!

This is really important. Before you set off backpacking Europe, get a guide book! A good guide book can help you decide where you go, what you see and where you eat and sleep.

Different types of guide books have different ideas and philosophies so make sure could take a bit of time to look through them before you buy and get an idea which will be best for you. If you are buying off Amazon, take a look at other buyers reviews.

A good book that constantly comes up on best European guide book searches is Lonely Planet Western Europe. This guide book has excellent maps, a comprehensive language guide and hand-picked places to stay and eat for all budgets. I found this book useful, especially when my budget was running low and had to find some cheap places to stay of a couple of nights! Trust me, no matter how much money you take, you’ll run low on cash at some point during your trip. Lonely Planet Western Europe

Backpacking verses “Voluntourism”

Backpacking v’s “Voluntourism”

Judith Brodie, director of VSO UK, one of Britians leading charities, caused a storm last week when she said that “voluntourism” was a waste of money.

“Voluntourism” is mainly aimed at students taking gap years. While previous generations have generally gone backpacking, one new trend is for people to undertake volunteer work organized by a specialist company. Brodie said, “While there are many good gap-year providers, we are increasingly concerned about the number of badly planned and supported schemes that are spurious – ultimately benefiting no one other than the travel companies that organize them.”

Brodie was referring to organizations who charge £3000 ($6000) for just three months volunteer work. This could include teaching English in South America, conservation work in India or maybe mucking out in an elephant sanctuary in Africa.

I believe it comes down to the personal choice of the individual and while there is obviously a lot of good volunteer work out there, I have seen many reports of volunteers being made to do mostly manual labour. For me, nothing beats the feeling of independent travel.

Backpacking; a great way to exercise!

You know one of the best things about backpacking and hiking? It is a brilliant way to exercise and has other benefits too. Denise Mitten, editor of Hiking and Backpacking, believes not only does exercising in nature keeps you fit but also contributes to your well being. Sounds good, doesn’t it!

“Contact with nature is correlated with living longer, and actual biochemical changes occur in response to trees, plants, and animals,” Mitten says. “We experience long-term benefits from improving and maintaining physical fitness through hiking and backpacking, both on the trail and at home.”

For those that are new to hiking Mitten suggests building up a hiking routine using the following techniques:

“Contact with nature is correlated with living longer, and actual biochemical changes occur in response to trees, plants, and animals,” Mitten says. “We experience long-term benefits from improving and maintaining physical fitness through hiking and backpacking, both on the trail and at home.”

For those that are new to hiking Mitten suggests building up a hiking routine using the following techniques:

To warm up for a hike, walk slowly for 3 to 5 minutes and lightly stretch for 2 to 5 minutes.

The objective is to walk at a steady, unbroken pace. Start at a pace where you don’t get out of breath while carrying on a conversation. The pace will depend on fitness level, your load and the terrain.

As you hike, regularly take long, deep breaths. This helps get oxygen to the muscles and prevents lactic acid buildup.

With each mile per hour that you increase your speed, you double the amount of energy you expend.

To cool down, lightly stretch for 5 to 10 minutes, focusing on the legs and ankles.

Backpacking Europe

This site is designed to be the number one reference site for people interested in backpacking Europe.

I hope to have the best advice on where to go, what to do and how to do it! This site will also contain news, stories and tips from the seasoned backpacker and links to the best sites on the web to help you on your journey.

Please feel free to comment on the information on this site, I not only welcome it but encourage it. This will be the number one resource for people who want to go backpacking in Europe and beyond!

I hope to speak with you soon

Sam